Do you still have yours?

Loveys.

You've seen the fear in the eyes of a mom who just realized that Lovey is at home when she desperately needs it for her screaming child in the middle of aisle four, right?

Annika adores her Lovey. It is soft, pink, fluffy, and very well-loved.

(Thanks to my wonderful gift-giving friend Anna for the gift of Lovey when Butterbean arrived!)

In fact, when I realized that Annika loved her Lovey as much as I did, I ordered two more so that I would never experience the above-mentioned fear.

[ By the way the three Lovey trick fails once your all knowledgeable toddler realizes that you have two more (TWO MORE, MOMMY?!?) in her sock drawer.]

Anyway, recently Annika found my Lovey, otherwise known as a very loved Raggedy Ann doll. My mom received Raggedy Ann as a gift the Christmas before I was born. She planned my nursery, clothing, and dishes (still have these too!) around the theme. Raggedy Ann slept with me throughout my childhood, then to college, and she even moved with me to my first apartment. I've never been without her for long.

She's wounded and falling apart, but aren't we all?

I completely broke into tears when Annika saw Raggedy Ann on her shelf and asked, "Who's that, Mommy?" She immediately wanted to hold her, mend her many boo-boos, and has slept with her every night since.



I know that Raggedy Ann will fall apart before Annika passes her to her own children, but a mom can hope, right?